Bozhin Laskov
Encyclopedia
Bozhin Georgiev Laskov (15 February 1922 – 2 April 2007) was a Bulgaria
n association football player who played as a striker
, noted for his tall stature, impressive physique and great heading. In addition, Laskov was a professional doctor and a trained Eastern Orthodox
priest. After 1946, he lived and worked in Czechoslovakia
and is counted among Bulgaria and Slovakia
's best footballers of the era.
Laskov was born in the village of Lokorsko, today administratively part of Sofia
. He graduated from the Sofia Seminary
, from where his nickname Popeto (Попето; "the little priest") stems. His youth team was FC Pobeda from the Sofia neighbourhood of Orlandovtsi
, for which he played in 1939–1940. In 1940, Laskov moved to PFC Levski Sofia
and featured for their senior team between 1941 and 1946 as their number 9 striker. Laskov appeared in 56 Bulgarian Championship matches, scoring the remarkable 40 goals. In 46 Bulgarian Cup
matches, he scored 21 times; he also appeared in 9 international games, scoring 5 goals, as well as 35 other games with 24 goals on his name. During his stay with Levski, Laskov won the Bulgarian Championship twice (in 1942 and 1946), the Bulgarian Cup three times (in 1942, 1946 and 1947) and the Sofia Championship four times (in 1942, 1943, 1945 and 1946). For the Bulgaria national football team
, his tally stands at 8 matches and 2 goals. At the 1946 Balkan Cup
in Tirana
, Albania
, he was proclaimed the best footballer of the Balkans
. Reportedly, France Football
also deemed him the best footballer in Europe later on.
On 15 February 1946, Laskov immigrated to Brno
, Czechoslovakia, where he studied medicine at the Masaryk University
and played for SK Židenice, the modern 1. FC Brno
. In 1947, he moved to Bratislava
, where he married a Slovak
beautician and was granted Czechoslovak citizenship. In Bratislava, he played for ŠK Slovan Bratislava
between 1947 and 1952, winning the Czechoslovak First League
in 1949, 1950 and 1951. In Czechoslovakia, he has also played for FK Inter Bratislava
(then Cervena Hviezda) and FK AS Trenčín
, until 1960. In the Czechoslovak Championship, he played a total of 169 games, of which 98 (with 48 league goals) for Slovan; he also featured in 3 games for the Czechoslovakia national football team
. He was awarded several fair play
prizes in Czechoslovakia. Later on, he worked as a manager, managing FK Inter Bratislava, FC Spartak Trnava
and Trenčín
. He also served as a professional physician specialized in otolaryngology
and was an active member of the Bulgarian Association in Slovakia.
Laskov died in Bratislava on 2 April 2007.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n association football player who played as a striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
, noted for his tall stature, impressive physique and great heading. In addition, Laskov was a professional doctor and a trained Eastern Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
priest. After 1946, he lived and worked in Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
and is counted among Bulgaria and Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
's best footballers of the era.
Laskov was born in the village of Lokorsko, today administratively part of Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
. He graduated from the Sofia Seminary
Sofia Seminary
The Sofia Seminary of St John of Rila , located in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, is the main seminary of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and an ecclesiastical institution of higher education. Founded in 1874 as the Samokov Theological School in the Sts...
, from where his nickname Popeto (Попето; "the little priest") stems. His youth team was FC Pobeda from the Sofia neighbourhood of Orlandovtsi
Orlandovtsi
Orlandovtsi is a neighbourhood of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. It lies in the northeast of the city and is administratively part of the Serdika municipality....
, for which he played in 1939–1940. In 1940, Laskov moved to PFC Levski Sofia
PFC Levski Sofia
"Levski Sofia" redirects here. For the sports club, see Levski Sofia .PFC Levski Sofia, otherwise simply known as Levski or Levski Sofia, is a professional football club based in Sofia, Bulgaria...
and featured for their senior team between 1941 and 1946 as their number 9 striker. Laskov appeared in 56 Bulgarian Championship matches, scoring the remarkable 40 goals. In 46 Bulgarian Cup
Bulgarian Cup
The Bulgarian Cup is a Bulgarian annual football competition. It is the country's main cup competition and all officially registered Bulgarian football teams take part in it. It is sponsored by the Bulgarian Corporate Commercial Bank....
matches, he scored 21 times; he also appeared in 9 international games, scoring 5 goals, as well as 35 other games with 24 goals on his name. During his stay with Levski, Laskov won the Bulgarian Championship twice (in 1942 and 1946), the Bulgarian Cup three times (in 1942, 1946 and 1947) and the Sofia Championship four times (in 1942, 1943, 1945 and 1946). For the Bulgaria national football team
Bulgaria national football team
The FIFA Bulgaria national football team is an association football team fielded by the Bulgarian Football Union, a member association of UEFA. The team's home ground is Vasil Levski in Sofia and Luboslav Penev is in charge manager after replacement of Lothar Matthäus...
, his tally stands at 8 matches and 2 goals. At the 1946 Balkan Cup
Balkan Cup
The Balkan Cup was an international football tournament played on and off between 1929 and 1980 between countries from the Balkan region. The first tournament was played between Romania, Greece, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria over 3 years from 1929 to 1931....
in Tirana
Tirana
Tirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
, Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
, he was proclaimed the best footballer of the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
. Reportedly, France Football
France Football
France Football is a French bi-weekly magazine containing football news from all over the world. It's one of the most reputable sports publications in Europe, mostly because of their photographic reports and accurate statistics of the big European Cup matches, and extensive coverage of the European...
also deemed him the best footballer in Europe later on.
On 15 February 1946, Laskov immigrated to Brno
Brno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
, Czechoslovakia, where he studied medicine at the Masaryk University
Masaryk University
Masaryk University is the second largest university in the Czech Republic, a member of the Compostela Group and the Utrecht Network. Founded in 1919 in Brno as the third Czech university , it now consists of nine faculties and 42,182 students...
and played for SK Židenice, the modern 1. FC Brno
1. FC Brno
FC Zbrojovka Brno is a Czech football club based in Brno.The club won the Czechoslovak First League in the 1977–78 season and finished as runners-up in 1979–80.-Historic names:* SK Židenice * Zbrojovka Brno...
. In 1947, he moved to Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
, where he married a Slovak
Slovaks
The Slovaks, Slovak people, or Slovakians are a West Slavic people that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is closely related to the Czech language.Most Slovaks today live within the borders of the independent Slovakia...
beautician and was granted Czechoslovak citizenship. In Bratislava, he played for ŠK Slovan Bratislava
ŠK Slovan Bratislava
ŠK Slovan Bratislava is a football club based in Bratislava, Slovakia, that plays in the Corgoň liga. Founded as 1. ČsŠK Bratislava in 1919, the club changed its name to Slovan Bratislava in 1953...
between 1947 and 1952, winning the Czechoslovak First League
Czechoslovak First League
The Czechoslovak First League was the premier football league in the Czechoslovakia from 1925 to 1993, with the exception of World War II. Czechoslovakia was occupied by German forces who formed Gauliga Sudetenland and Gauliga Böhmen und Mähren leagues on occupied territories...
in 1949, 1950 and 1951. In Czechoslovakia, he has also played for FK Inter Bratislava
FK Inter Bratislava
FK Inter Bratislava is a Slovak football club, playing in the city of Bratislava.FK Inter Bratislava merged with FK Senica on June 18, 2009. Players of Inter Bratislava had to move to other clubs. In season 2010/2011 has been renewed and will start in 5.league...
(then Cervena Hviezda) and FK AS Trenčín
FK AS Trencín
FK AS Trenčín is a Slovak football club, playing in the town of Trenčín.-History:AS Trenčín was established in 1992 as Ozeta Trenčín and started in the third division of the Czechoslovak competition and ended one place below the traditional team TTS Trenčín. Later the club spent three season in...
, until 1960. In the Czechoslovak Championship, he played a total of 169 games, of which 98 (with 48 league goals) for Slovan; he also featured in 3 games for the Czechoslovakia national football team
Czechoslovakia national football team
The Czechoslovakia national football team was the national association football team of Czechoslovakia from 1922 to 1993. At the dissolution of Czechoslovakia at the end of 1992, the team was participating in UEFA qualifying Group 4 for the 1994 World Cup; it completed this campaign under the name...
. He was awarded several fair play
Fair Play
Fair Play or Fairplay usually refers to Sportsmanship.It may also refer to:* Fair and unfair play, in cricket* The Fair Play for Cuba Committee, an activist group in the United States early in 1960...
prizes in Czechoslovakia. Later on, he worked as a manager, managing FK Inter Bratislava, FC Spartak Trnava
FC Spartak Trnava
FC Spartak Trnava is a Slovak football club based in Trnava, Slovakia. Historically it is one of the most successful clubs in Slovakia, having won the Czechoslovak First League and the Czechoslovak Cup five times, and reaching semifinal of European Cup once and quarterfinal twice. The club plays...
and Trenčín
Trencín
Trenčín is a city in western Slovakia of the central Váh River valley near the Czech border, around from Bratislava. It has a population of more than 56,000, which makes it the ninth largest municipality of the country and is the seat of the Trenčín Region and the Trenčín District...
. He also served as a professional physician specialized in otolaryngology
Otolaryngology
Otolaryngology or ENT is the branch of medicine and surgery that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of ear, nose, throat, and head and neck disorders....
and was an active member of the Bulgarian Association in Slovakia.
Laskov died in Bratislava on 2 April 2007.